Laundry machine



June 1, 1965 H. c. ELLIS 3,186,194

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 1 28 INVENTOR.

Huber) C. Ell/s BY WW, 18M flgaa, Mar

June' 1, 1965 H. c. ELLIS 3,136,194

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed April 9, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 FIG 3 I INVENTOR.

BY Huberf 0. E ///'s f ,fimf/ ,MW fi H. C. ELLIS LAUNDRY MACHINE June 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 9, 1963 INVENTOR. Huben 6. Ellis BY ,6/ ,MEH ,fldm/ y A United States Patent 3,186,]1M LAUNDRY MAQHHNE Hubert 6. Ellis, 1210 Lake St., Evanston, Ell. Filed Apr. 9, 19 53, Ser. No. 271,645 2 Claims. (@l. 68-210) The present invention relates to laundry machines of the self-unloading type adapted to be used, for example, in commercial laundries, and more particularly to an improved liquid-tight seal between fixed and movable sections of a washing liquid conduit therefor.

The subject matter of this invention is an improvement upon the structure described and illustrated in US. Letters Patent No. 2,758,465 granted August 14, 1956 to Hubert C. Ellis for Laundry Machine which relates to self-unloading laundry machines that embody a base or supporting structure upon which there is movably mounted a casing in which fabric articles and the like are Washed in a washing liquid by means of an agitator, or its equivalent, located within the casing. In order to reduce the time and labor required for unloading washed articles from the casing, the machines are arranged to dump the articles therefrom by gravity after the washing operation has been completed. To this end, the casing is mounted on the base or supporting structure in such a way as to be bodily movable between a normal position and a dumping position. The fabric articles and the washing liquid are preferably introduced into the casing while it is in this normal position, and when the washing has been completed the casing is raised, tilted, or raised and rotated, to its dumping position wherein the washed articles fall from the casing through a suitable opening therein. When the casing has been emptied or articles, it is returned to its normal position where it is again charged with washing liquid for another load.

Inasmuch as the supply conduit or conduits for introducing washing liquids into the casing are preferably of a stationary character, while the casing is movable, considerable difficulty has been experienced heretofore in devising a clean and sanitary manner of introducing the washing liquids into the casing without dripping or spilling the liquid and without permitting vapors of the liquid to escape into the room. It will be understood, of course, that the problem is greatly aggravated by the fact that any liquid-tight connection between the supply conduit and the casing must be broken every time the casing is raised to its dumping position and must be remade every time the casing is returned to the position in which it receives a new supply of washing liquid.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a self-unloading laundry machine of the type described above having new and improved means for introducing washing liquids into the casing without spilling or dripping the same, while at the same time permitting free and unobstructed movement of the casing from its liquid receiving position to its dumping position and back again. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluid operated seal between the casing and a stationary liquid supply conduit therefor, the seal including a diaphragm expansible to perfect a liquid-tight joint between the casing and the discharge end of the supply conduit when the casing is in position to receive washing liquid and being retractable from its sealing position so as to permit freedom of movement of the casing from its liquid receiving osition to its dumping position. Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved sealing member including an annular expansible diaphragm having integral inner and outer mounting legs, and to provide improved clamping structure for mounting the legs and the associated diaphragm. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved seal of the type set forth in which the expansible diaphragm provides Patented June 1, 1965 more material for sealing contact with the casing and consequently accommodates a greater spacing between the casing and the stationary liquid supply conduit therefor. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved seal of the type set forth which has a longer useful service life and which is shaped and formed positively to retract out of the way of the cooperating sealing face even after prolonged use.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a View in rear elevation of a laundry machine embodying the present invention, showing the movable casing thereof in its washing fluid receiving pos1t1on;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation looking at the lefthand end of the washing machine as seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the casing raised to the position in which it will dump washed articles therefrom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in rear elevation showing washing liquid inlet valves and a stationary liquid supply manifold for introducing the liquids into the casing;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on yet a larger scale taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 4, showing in solid lines the relation of the discharge opening of the washing liquid supply manifold to the outer end of an inlet conduit on the casing when the casing is in its washing liquid receiving position and an inflatable sealing ring is in a deflated condition, and showing in broken lines the relation of the parts as the casing is pivoted upwardly toward its dumping position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 5, showing in solid lines the inflatable ring when it is in an inflated condition to provide a liquid-tight seal or connection between the discharge end of the washing liquid supply manifold and the outer end of the inlet conduit on the casing, and showing in dashed lines the retracted position of the ring;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in front elevation showing a control assembly for selectively raising and lowering the casing between its liquid receiving position and the position in which the washed articles are dumped from the casing;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken substantially along the line 88 in FIG. 7, showing a valve operated by the control lever illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the controls and the electrical circuits for producing coordinated operation of the casing and the inflatable sealing ring.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the laundry machine of the present invention may be provided with a stationary base adapted to rest upon and be secured to the floor of a laundry or the like. The base comprises a pair of laterally spaced upright standards 21 and 22 which provide floor engaging feet 23, a pair of laterally spaced upstanding front arms 24 (only one of which is shown), and a pair of laterally spaced upstanding rear arms 25. The standards may be secured together in an appropriately spaced arrangement by a plurality of longitudinally and horizontally extending tie bars 26, one of which is shown extending between the laterally spaced feet of the standards (FIG. 1). The base is strengthened and rigidified by a longitudinally and horizontally extending shaft 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3) that is fixed at its opposite ends in the upper end portions of the upstanding front arms 24, and by a hollow horizontal rear frame member or beam 3 27 fixed at its opposite ends to the upper portions of the rear upstanding arms 25.

Disposed between the pair of upright standards there is a cylindrical casing, designated generally by the numeral 28, within which fabric articles and the like are washed. The casing includes a cylindrical wall 29 and a pair of circular end walls 30 that enclose the opposite ends of the casing, each end wall carrying on its exterior a somewhat cup-shaped gear housing 31. The gear housings 31 are arranged to contain gears and other mechanism for driving any suitable kind of agitator located within the casing for tumbling or otherwise agitating the fabrics in any of several well known ways to cause the fabrics to be washed. If desired, the agitator may be driven by electric motors 36 mounted on the gear housings 31 at opposite ends of the casing.

The front side of the casing adjacent its opposite ends is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting, axially aligned collar-like elements 32 (FIG. 3) rotatably received upon the shaft 20 for supporting the front side of the casing and permitting upward and forward pivotation of the casing about the shaft from its washing liquid receiving position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the dumping position illustrated in FIG. 3. The back side of the casing, on the other hand, has formed thereon a pair of projecting feet 33 adapted to rest on the upper surface of the frame member 27 and thereby support the rear side of the casing when the casing is in its lowered or washing liquid receiving position.

In its operation the casing 28 is preferably charged with dirty clothing and the like while it is in the washing liquid receiving position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For this purpose the front side of the cylindrical wall 29 of the casing may have a suitable opening therein (not shown). Washing liquid, which may comprise water or a mixture of water and detergents, is also introduced into the casing while it is in this position by means hereinafter described, and the washing and rinsing of the fabric articles within the casing may then take place. At the conclusion of the washing operation the washing liquid is drained from the casing through a pair of conventional dump valves 35 arranged beneath the casing as shown in FIG. 1. The casing is then pivoted upwardly and forwardly about the shaft 26) through substantially a 90 arc to its dumping position (FIG. 3) wherein the fabric articles fall from the casing through the opening in the front wall thereof. This pivoting and raising of the casing is accomplished by a pair of conventional hydraulically operated expanding struts located at opposite ends of the casing, each strut comprising a cylinder 49 having therein a piston connected to a piston rod 41 extending from the upper end of the cylinder. The lower end of each cylinder is pivotally mounted, as at 43, upon an outwardly extending bracket 42 formed or otherwise secured upon each of the upstanding standards 21 and 22 of the base, and the upper end of each piston rod 41 is pivotally secured, as at 46, to a bracket 45 formed on the outer end of each of the gear housings 31 at oppoiste ends of the casing.

The hydraulic system for selectively expanding and contracting the hydraulic struts to raise and lower the casing 28 includes, in the embodiment shown, a hydraulic pump 48 and a manually operated four-way control valve 49 (FIGS. 8 and 9). If desired, the pump may be mounted on the outer wall of the upright standard 21, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, in position to be driven by an electric motor 50. The inlet port of the pump is connected by a pipe 48' (FIGS. 1 and 2) to a reservoir for hydraulic fluid which may be conveniently located within the s andard 21 or elsewhere, and the outlet port of the pump is connected by a pipe to one side of the four-way valve 49, the pump preferably being provided with the usual pressure relief valve for returning excess output of the pump to the reservoir.

The control valve 49, which preferably is located at a control station adjacent the front end of the upright standard 21, embodies a substantially cylindrical casing 51?. having a longitudinally extending bore 53. As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the casing has four radially extending passages 54, 55, 56 and 57 in the wall thereof, each of which is internally threaded at its outer end. From the threaded end of the passage 54 a conduit 54', which may include flexible tubing, extends to the bottom ends of the two cylinders 49 of the hydraulic struts, while the hydraulic pressure line 55 from the pump 48 is connected to the threaded end of the passage 55. The threaded outer end of the passage 56, on the other hand, is connected by a conduit 56' (which also may include flexible tubing) to the upper ends of the strut cylinders 40, and from the threaded outer end of the passage 57 a return pipe 57 leads from the valve to the reservoir mentioned above. Arranged in the bore 53 of the valve there is a cylindrical, rotatable valve core 59 having stems 6t and 61 extending from its opposite ends. These stems, which are encompassed by suitable gaskets, are journaled in openings 63 provided in a pair of casing end plates 64 and 65 which are threadably received in the opposite ends of the bore 53. The stem 66 extends outwardly from the end plate 64 and projects into a cup-shaped housing 66 that is attached to the outer end of the valve casing 52. The valve core is rotated by an upstanding lever 67 that extends through a slot 68 in the upper portion of the housing 66 and is threadably received at its lower end in a cam-collar 63 that is fixed on the projecting end of the stem 6%. As best shown in FIG. 7, this collar is provided on its periphery with two cam surfaces '76 and 78*, between which there is a flat surface 6?. The valve core 59 also has a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate grooves '71 and 72 formed therein that are arranged in alignment with the inner ends of the passages in the valve casing 52. The grooves are separated by a pair of oppositely disposed lands 73 and 74. The arrangement of the lands is such that when the lever 67 is in an upright or neutral position, as shown by solid lines in FIG. 7, the land 73 blocks the passage 54 and the land 74 blocks the passage 56, thereby preventing flow of hydraulic fluid to or from both the upper and the lower ends of the strut cylinders 40. When the lever is swung counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 7, and into the lefthand broken line position there illustrated, the lands 73 and 74- are disposed as shown in FIG. 9 and the groove 71 establishes communication between passages 56 and 57 for connecting the upper ends of the cylinders to the return line 57' leading to the reservoir. At the same time, the groove 72 establishes communication between passages 54 and 55 for connecting the lower ends of the cylinders to the pressure side of the pump 48, thereby causing fluid under pressure to be introduced into the lower ends of the cylinders to extend the struts and raise the casing 28 to its dump position shown in FIG. 3 when the motor 50 is in operation. When the lever 67 is moved into the right-hand broken line position shown in FIG. 7, on the other hand, the arrangement is such that the groove 72 establishes communication between the passages 55 and 56 for connecting the upper ends of the cylinders to the pressure side of the pump for contracting the struts, and at the same time the groove 71 establishes communication between passages 54 and 57 for connecting the lower ends of the cylinders to the reservoir, thereby venting the lower ends of the cylinders as the struts contract to lower the casing 28 from the dump position into its lower position.

The casing is charged with washing liquid when in the lower position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by the provision of a liquid-tight connection between the stationary discharge opening of a washing liquid supply manifold 75, and the outer end of a cylindrical inlet conduit 76 which is attached to and swings wit-h the casing 28. The manifold 75 is centrally arranged on the upper side of the hollow horizontal frame member 27, to the rear of 7 the lower position is determined by engagement of the feet 33 with the upper surface of the rear frame member 27. This arrangement is such that when the casing 28 is in the lower position, the inlet opening of the conduit 76 is in substantial alignment or registry with the discharge opening 8dof the supply manifold 75. Also, the sealing face 1% on the flange 1132 around the inlet opening is in a face-to-face relation with respect to the diaphragm 161 of the resilient sealing ring 166, and is slight- -ly spaced therefrom when the ring 160 is in a deflated condition, as shown in FIG. 5 and in dashed lines in FIG. 6. This spaced apart relation accommodates unobstructed movement of the inlet conduit 76 into and out of alignment with the discharge opening of the supply manifold 75 as the casing is swung between its upper and lower positions. The inlet conduit 76 and the discharge end of the supply manifold are automatically locked together in this aligned, spaced apart relation every time the casing 2% is lowered to its washing liquid receiving position. To this end, as shown in FIG. 5, the uppermost edge of the flange 1&2 on the inlet conduit is provided with a rearwardly and then downwardly projecting hook 108 that is received over the upstanding block 8-?) on the flange 87 of the supply manifold '75 as the casing 23 is moved into its lower position. The base plate 79 of the manifold also projects forwardly to a position beneath that occupied by the lower edge of the flange 162 and has an upstanding, beveled edged block 109 secured thereon which, with the base plate 7d, forms a reanwardly and then upwardly directed hook behind which the lower edge of the flange 192 is received as the casing 28 is moved into its lower or washing liquid receiving position. The hook lit-8 and the hook formed by the base plate 79 and the upstanding block 169 thereon thus insure that the inlet end of the conduit .76 on the casing 28 and the discharge opening 36 of the supply manifold '75 are properly spaced and aligned, whereupon air under pressure is passed through I the air line as and under the resilient ring 16% to forcefully expand the diaphragm 16-1 outwardly against the face 106 of the flange 162. As best seen in FIG. 6, this forms a liquid-tight seal between the supply manifold 75 and the liquid inlet conduit 76 leading into the interior of the casing 28. As will be explained below, after the washing liquid has passed through this liquidtight connection and before the casing 28 is raised to its dumping position, the air line 96 is vented, permitting the resilient ring 166 and specifically the diaphragm 161 to contract to its normal condition (FIG. 5) so as to accommodate free movement of the casing out of, and subsequently back into, its washing liquid receiving position without damage to the resilient ring. 7

The control means for coordinating movement of the casing 28 between its upper and lower positions and for forming and breaking the liquid-tight connection between the supply manifold 7 5 and the liquid inlet conduit 76 are best illustrated schematically in FIG. 10 of the drawings. Electric energy for the system is supplied by a pair of conductors 111 and Y112, the latter of which extends directly to the motor that drives the hydraulic pump 48-. The conductor 111, on the other hand, extends to a contact 113 of a switch 114 that is operated by movement of the control lever 67. The switch has another contact 115 and a bridge member 116 adapted to engage the two contacts to complete a circuit through the switch. This bridge 1-16 is normally urged, by a compression spring 117, toward an upper or open position, as shown in FIG. 10, and the bridge has an upwardly extending dielectric plunger 118 thereon that rides on the periphery of the cam-collar 69 upon which the lever 67 is mounted. When the lever is in its neutral or upright position, the top of the plunger bears against the flat surface 69 of the collar. However, when the lever 67 is moved from its neutral position to either of its operating positions (FIG. 7) the cam surfaces 70 or 79' serve to depress the plunger 118 and thereby close the switch 114.

From the contact of the switch 114 a conductor 119 extends to a contact 124} of the lowermost switch 121 of a stack type switch assembly 122, this lowermost switch having another contact 123 from which another conduc: tor 124 extends to the motor 59. The switch 12-1 is provided with a switch bar 125 for completing the circuit through the switch, the bar being fixed upon a dielectric switch operating rod 126 that is common to all of the switches in the stack type assembly 122.

From the conductors 111 and 112 leads 127 and 123 extend respectively to switches 129 and 130 which are integral parts of the switch stack assembly 122 the switches 129; and 136 having switch bars 13-1 and 132, respectively, that are attached to the common control rod 126. From FIG. 10 it will be noted that the arrangement of the switches in the switch stack assembly is such that when the switches 129 and 139 are closed, the switch 121 to the motor 5% is open, and when the rod 126 is raised to close the switch 121, the switches 129 and 130 are opened.

Leads 13-3 and 134 extend from the switches 129 and 136, respectively, to contacts 135 and 136 within the base 137 (FIG. 1) of a pull-out type safety junction 138, the lower portion of this junction being mounted on the upper side of the rear frame member or beam 27. The upper portion 139 of this safety junction is mounted upon the rear of the cylindrical wall 29 of the casing 28 and C011. tains two electric bridges 146 and 14-1 which, when the casing 28 is in its lower or washing liquid receiving position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively engage the contacts 135 and 136 and complete circuits therefrom to contacts 14-2 and 143 also contained in the base portion 137 of the pull-out junction. From the contacts 142 and 143 leads 1451 and 145 extend to the terminals of a solenoid operated three-way air valve 146. Thus, it will be understood that when the casing 28 is raised out of its lower or washing liquid receiving position the upper portion 139 of the pull-out safety junction 1-38 is raised with respect to its lower portion 13-7, as illustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 10, to open the circuit to the solenoid opera=ted air valve 146;. V

Air under pressure from any suitable source is supplied to the air valve 146 through an air line 1147 and, when the solenoid of the yak e146 is energized, this air is introduced by the valve into the airline 9,6 to inflate the resilient ring 160 and thereby perfect the liquid tight seal between the washing liquid supply manifold '75 and the liquid inlet conduit 76 carried by the casing 28. On the other hand, when the solenoid of the valve 146 is deenergized, the valve returns to a normal position shutting off the supply of air fromthe supply line 147 and venting the air line 96 and the resilient ring 166 through a vent line 148.

If desired, the valve 146 and the stack type switch assembly 122 may be mounted within a cabinet 51 (FIGS. 1 to 3) carried on the underside of the rear frame member or beam 27. In that event the common control rod 126 of the switch stack 122 is preferably remotely operated as by the use of air pistons or one or more solenoids that in turn are controlled in any suitable manner by a pair of safety push buttons 149 and 150 located the face of a control cabinet'151 mounted above or closely adjacent the control handle 67. The control box 151 may, if desired, contain automatic control equipment such as is shown in my Patent No. 2,678,063, issued May 11, 1954, for controlling automatic operation of the washing and rinsing cycle within the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be' understood that after the casing 28 has been raised to its dump position (FIG. 3), and While the switch 121 is closed, the control lever 67 may be moved .to its appropriate down position to cause fluid under pressure to be introduced into the upper ends of the strut cylinders 40 and simultaneously cause the lower ends of the cylinders to be vented. This movement of the control lever 67 depresses .the casing, and is secured to this frame member by means of bolts 78 that extend through a base plate 79 of the manifold and through the upper web of the frame member. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the central portion of the manifold comprises a hollow mixing chamber 77 having a circular discharge opening 80 directed toward the casing 28. The chamber 77 is supplied with water by a pair of laterally and upwardly extending branch pipes 81 that are connected through a pair of pneumatically or otherwise operated valves 82 to cold and hot water pipes 83 and 84, respectively. The right-hand end of the chamber 77, as viewed in FIG. 5 receives a pipe 85 which extends longitudinally within the chamber and has a discharge end 86 arranged concentrically with respect to the discharge opening 80 of the chamber. During the charging of the casing 28 with a liquid, this pipe may be supplied with appropriate liquid cleaning agents and the like which pass out the discharge end 86 of the pipe and mix with water flowing through the discharge opening 80 of the chamber.

The discharge end of the chamber 77 has an exterior radially extending annular flange 87 formed thereon that is disposed around the opening 80, and at the top of the flange there is an upstanding block 88 formed as an integral part of the flange. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the forward face of the flange is provided with an annular slot or recess 89 around the discharge opening 30 of the chamber 77. This recess 89 is substantially rectangular in cross section and snugly receives therein an annular resilient sealing ring 160 of rubber or the like. The sealing ring 160 is generally U-shaped in cross section and includes an annular sealing section or diaphragm 161 disposed toward the sealing face 106 and an inner leg 164 and an outer leg 166 extending therefrom to the right as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In accordance with the present invention, structure is provided for positively and firmly mounting the sealing ring 160 in the recess 39, and to this end an annular retaining ring 170 is also provided within the recess 89 and between the legs 164 and 166. The shape of the retaining ring 170 in cross section is such that its width is substantially equal to the space between the legs 164 and 166 when urged against the adjacent walls of the recess 89. There further are provided in the retaining ring 170 to the right as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6 an inner annular groove 172 and an outer annular groove 174 defining retaining shoulders 171 and 173, respectively. The grooves 172 and 174 receive and cooperate with enlarged anchor members 165 and 167, respectively, on the ends of the legs 164 and 166 disposed to the right in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shoulders 171 and 173 engaging and holding the anchor members 165 and 167, respectively. The anchor members are received between the shoulders and the bottom of the recess for being clamped therebetween. More particularly, the annular flange 87 on the manifold 75 has a group of openings therethrough in communication with the recess 89 and each receiving a bolt 175 therein for threaded engagement in a complementarily threaded opening in the retaining ring 170. By

tightening the bolts 175, the retaining ring and the bottom of the recess are clamped together to thereby clamp the anchor members 165 and 167 between the shoulders 171 and 173 and the bottom of the recess. In this manner,

a good seal is made between the legs 164 and 166 of the it is shaped concave as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 5

and in dashed lines in FIG. 6, and extends away from the sealing surface 106 on the casing 28 and inwardly toward the retaining ring 170, the entire sealing face 162 being disposed inwardly of or to the right of the discharge opening as is illustrated in FIG. 5. Means is provided for introducing air under pressure into the chamber defined between the sealing ring 160 and the retaining ring 170 to move the diaphragm 161 from the rest position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 5 and by dashed lines in FIG. 6 to the extended sealing position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 6. To this end a small air line 96 is provided extending from a suitable source of air under pressure to a coupling 176 (see the top of FIG. 5) connecting to an opening 177 through the retaining ring 170 communicating with the chamber between the sealing ring 160 and the retaining ring 170.

When it is desired to effect a liquid-tight seal between the manifold 75 and the inlet conduit 76, air under pressure is admitted through the line 96, the air moving the diaphragm 161 from the concave or retracted position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 5 and by dashed lines in FIG. 6 to the outer or sealing position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 6, the front face 162 of the diaphragm 161 being resiliently pressed against the sealing surface 106. In this manner a liquid-tight seal is provided between the manifold 75 and the inlet conduit 76 for the casing 28 so that water, detergents, and other washing solutions can be transferred to the casing 28 through the manifold 75. The concave shape of the diaphragm 161 insures that sufficient material is pressed against the sealing surface 106 to form a good seal therewith, and furthermore, the concave shape of the diaphragm 161 makes available more material for sealing purposes than would the normal flat diaphragrns used heretofore; in addition, the sealing face 162 on the diaphragm 161 can move a greater distance than prior diaphragms and yet maintain an effective seal with the cooperating sealing surface 106 on the easing 28.

When it is desired to raise the casing 28 to the clothes discharging position illustrated in FIG. 3, the pressure within the line 96 is removed by venting the line 96 to the atmosphere; this immediately permits the natural resilience of the diaphragm 161 to restore or return the diaphragm 161 from the extended sealing position to the retracted position. This natural resilience of the diaphragm 161 and the concave configuration thereof in the rest or retracted position further increases the useful life of the diaphragm. In addition, the concave shape of the diaphragm 161 in its retracted position always insures that the diaphragm 161 is moved out of contact with the cooperating sealing surface 106, whereby the diaphragm 161 does not interfere with the raising of the casing 28 including the sealing surface 106 to the position illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 5, i.e., the diaphragm 161 always retracts and will continue to do so even after a service life which would cause (fatigue in a flat diaphragm that would interfere with an adequate retraction thereof from the cooperating sealing surface 106.

The liquid inlet conduit 76 carried by the casing 28 comprises a pipe section 97 which communicates at its inner end with the casing interior through an opening 98 in the side wall 29 of the casing. The inner end of the pipe section 97 is provided with an annular outwardly flared flange 99 that is welded or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the casing side wall around the opening therein. This flange may be sandwiched between an inner annular reinforcing member and screen if desired. The outer end of the pipe section 97 is provided with an inwardly turned flange 101 which has mounted thereon, as by welding, a circular metal flange 102. The flange 102 is substantially rectangular in axial cross section and provides an exterior annular shoulder around the conduit 76, and its forward face 106 provides an annular, planar sealing surface around the inlet opening of the conduit 76.

As previously noted, the lower limit of the arc traversed by the casing 20 in moving from the upper position into 9 the plunger 118 of the switch 114 to close that switch and thereby complete the circuit to the motor 50 to cause the pump 48 to supply hydraulic pressure for lowering the casing 28 to its washing liquid receiving position previously described. In this connection, if desired, the return line 57 leading from the valve 49 to the reservoir may have a suitable restriction therein so as to control the rate at which hydraulic fluid is returned to the reservoir from the lower ends of the strut cylinders 40 and thereby insure that lowering of the casing 28 will not occur at an excessive rate. As the casing moves into its lower washing liquid receiving position the upper portion 139 of the safety pull-out junction 138 carries the bridges 140 and 141 therein into contact with the contacts 135 to 143, thereupon making it possible thereafter to complete the circuit to the solenoid controlled air valve 146 to cause the resilient ring 160 to be inflated preparatory to the introduction of another batch of washing liquid into the casing 28. It will be noted, however, that this circuit can not be completed to the air valve 146, even after the casing 28 has reached its lower position, until after the common control rod 126 of the stack type switch assembly 122 has been lowered to close the switches 129 and 130. At the same time the switches 129 and 130 are closed the switch 121 is automatically opened to insure that the electric motor 50 is deenergized. This interlinking of the switches 129 and 130 with the switch 121, together with the pull-out safety junction 138, insures that the resilient ring 160 can not be inflated while the casing 28 is out of its lower or washing liquid receiving position, or while the motor 50 is energized to cause hydraulic fluid under pressure to be supplied for raising or lowering of the casing 28. Similarly, when the casing has been filled with washing liquid, the interlinking of the switches 129 and 130 with the switch 121 insures that the solenoid of the three-way air valve 146 is automatically deenergized to cause the resilient ring 160 to be deflated whenever the motor 50 is energized to raise the casing 28 out of its lower position. Freedom of movement of the casing 28 is thus insured and inadvertent damage to the resilient ring 160 is avoided.

The foregoing description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be implied therefrom, for it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and changes may be made in the present apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry machine of the self-unloading type comprising a casing within which soiled fabrics are washed in a washing liquid, means for mounting said casing for movement between a first position wherein said washing fluid is introduced into said casing and a second position wherein said fabrics are dumped from said casing, a washing liquid supply conduit having a stationary discharge end, an inlet conduit on said casing in communication with the interior thereof, the outer endof said inlet conduit being in substantial alignment with said discharge end of said supply conduit when said casing is in said first position and being remotely disposed with respect to said discharge end of said supply conduit when said casing is in said second position, said end of one of said conduits having an annular recess therein and extending therearound and opening outwardly toward said end of the other of said conduits, an annular sealing ring disposed in said recess and including a resilient annular diaphragm extending across the open end of said recess and annular inner and outer legs respectively integral with the inner and outer edges of said diaphragm and extending therefrom into said recess, an annular retaining ring disposed in said recess between said legs and urging said legs into sealing engagement with the walls of said recess and forming a pressurizable chamber between said sealing ring and said retaining ring, said diaphragm having an outer surface naturally biased into a concave position when unstressed and disposed within said recess and away from said other conduit, and means for alternately pressurizing said chamber to expand said diaphragm forcefullyoutwardly against the end of said other conduit to provide a liquid-tight seal therebetween and depressurizing said chamber to permit said diaphragm to return to its concave position to permit unobstructed movement of said casing out of said first position and into said second position.

2. A laundry machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said retaining ring has inner and outer shoulders therearound facing the bottom of said recess, and the ends of said legs disposed away from said diaphragm have enlarged anchor members thereon received between said shoulders respectively and the bottom of said recess for being clamped therebetween, and including means clampmg said retaining ring and the bottom of said recess together to thereby clamp said anchor members between said shoulders and the bottom of said recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 863,001 8/07 Seebeck. 2,054,492 9/36 Young. 2,371,586 3/45 Schwartz. 2,75 8,465 8/56 Ellis 68--210 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner, 

1. A LAUNDARY MACHINE OF THE SELF-UNLOADING TYPE COMPRISING A CASING WITHIN WHICH SOILED FABRICS ARE WASHED IN A WASHING LIQUID, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID WASHING FLUID IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID CASING AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID FABRICS ARE DUMPED FROM SAID CASING, A WASHING LIQUID SUPPLY CONDUIT HAVING A STATIONARY DISCHARGE END, AN INLET CONDUIT ON SAID CASING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR THEREOF, THE OUTER END OF SAID INLET CONDUIT BEING IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID SUPPLY CONDUIT WHEN SAID CASING IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION AND BEING REMOTELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID SUPPLY CONDUIT WHEN SAID CASING IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, SAID END OF ONE OF SAID CONDUITS HAVING AN ANNULAR RECESS THEREIN AND EXTENDING THEREAROUND AND OPENING OUTWARDLY TOWARD SAID END OF THE OTHER OF SAID CONDUITS, AN ANNULAR SEALING RING DISPOSED IN SAID RECESS AND INCLUDING A RESILIENT ANNULAR DIAPHRAGM EXTENDING ACROSS THE OPEN END OF SAID RECESS AND ANNULAR INNER AND OUTER LEGS RESPECTIVELY INTEGRAL WITH THE INNER AND OUTER EDGES OF SAID DIAPHRAGM AND EXTENDING THEREFROM INTO SAID RECESS, AN ANNULAR RETAINING RING DISPOSED 